4ink stepped back with a strained face. "Repeat what you just said."
"Well that guy, I found him almost dead. I treated him but," she gestured at herself, "am no doctor, so, I did the right thing, I took him to the general hospital."
4ink nodded once, briefly. Looking at Sarah skeptically. "So you are sure he is still breathing?"
"Was." She nodded her head empathically. "I'm sure he was breathing when I found him. I can't say about now."
"You don't mind me checking, do you?" Without waiting for as much as her next breath, 4ink was already pushing his way through. He crossed the living room into the kitchen, Sarah left trailing in his heels.
"Mister, what are you looking for?"
"Don't get in my way!"
The outburst should have suprised. It didn't. She anticipated it long before it was said. She still couldn't control the squeak which passed through her mouth. The man's plastered smile had receded and in its place was a snare. He barrelled past her as he made his way upstairs.
4ink combed through the three rooms upstairs. Nothing. He went downstairs, to the living room where Sarah sat smugly. Her mouth curving into a victory smile and his blood raged at that. He should send men later to make quick work of her, he reasoned. Went again to the kitchen, opening cupboard after cupboard; now he was really just chasing air but he didn't want to see her dry sunken smile. He rested a bit by the sink.
San would be furious if he hears about this. And Cobly couldn't be at any hospital, not if he holds his life to any worth. There was a cupboard attached below the kitchen sink, he thought nothing of it. His mind now only on how Boss San will react to this news. If—4ink mindlessly used a foot to drag the cupboard open, mindlessly glanced inside, there was a gym bag—nothing.
He walked out, his dark gaze avoiding her like the plaque.
"Get out," she commanded.
And he was back to the sunny gloom of the street.
As he walked up ahead, Sarah stationed herself by the curtains, spying in him. She watched him walked past the local boutique, past Mrs Rose and suddenly, he turned back, looking directly at the house. She leapt out from the window faster than a rat whose tail caught on fire, her heart thundering.
She sunk, uneased, into the nearest couch while swearing. A shadow appeared. It was big and huge and black. And it wasn't her's. She flew out from the couch with nimble agility and like a track star raced towards the door.
"Where are you going?" Sarah heard a rough voice ask as she stopped a little shy from bending the door handle and spiriting away.
She turned progressively. Cobly stood at the partition between the kitchen and living room, a little puzzled.
"Fuck, it's you."
"She swears."
"Yes. Well, you scared me and Tatts there."
Cobly seems to shake his head, but she wasn't paying him attention. She sagged back into the couch taking deep breath of relief.
Cobly came and sat on the couch adjacent her. Sitting at their middle was stretching contemplating silence.
"I should leave." he said, consuming the silence.
Sarah sat up straight, her hands gesturing in objection. "For what? For why?"
"Is up. He will come back here for me."
"He believed me," Sarah objected but even she didn't believe those words. They both knew it. "I promise you, he did. There is no need to run."
The back pillow cushioning his head, he sighed and stared up at the ceiling without a reasonable thought in mind. It was true that San's man didn't see him, he had been smoother than silk. But, what if he did? He didn't, but is there a chance, a chance that his eye caught in. Cobly sighed. He could leave by nightfall, destroying any possible iota of San ever finding him; going back to San had been cleared off the board. He would be killed, if not that very day he returned. He thought about relocating and keep moving to different cities, till he was sure he was safe or...or he could remain with this woman.
This woman could become his. He found her charming and cute and vocal. His mind drifted to moments ago, when he was nestled in between her laps, ready to devour her lips. Her face red, as she waited in timid anticipation. That moment sent a sweet kind of joy through him.
He could belong somewhere. Here. With her. He could belong to her and in every way, this wonderful woman could belong to him. The dangers would always be there but he'd lived for that. He could face anything.
Needlessly to say more, at the end of the day, he did the foolish thing–he followed his heart.
****
4ink lit a cigarette, smoking it down to the filter. It tasted horrible. As horrible as when he opened that sink cupboard and saw that conspicuous gym bag. San won't be happy, he thought warily. Sitting in a parking lot, he turns the packet of cigarettes over and over in his hands. The question still is: should San be privy to this? The goal is to make San happy. Since he could remember, he had done a nice job of ensuring that– killing what needs to be killed, torturing who deserves it, his butthole stretched on occasions San felt the need to be gay.
This though, this could jeopardize everything. He cursed himself for not be able to finish the job that night. He cursed his men. He cursed Cobly for making that decision to live. And most of all, he appalled the woman. Clever woman for all she had had to do. He will make sure he pissed heartily on her corpse after leaving her for last.
He stood up, taking out another cigarette, on second thought, dropped it back. Deep thoughts seizing him.
San must stay happy. Happy in the dark. And those who had chosen to oppose had to leave. He grinned manically. He squared those slacked shoulders and walked out.
****
"Sarah," he called, and smiled silly. "I'm home."
No answer.
"Sarah!" he went towards the kitchen. "Where are you?" Poured through every room in the house. He went towards the front door which he'd encountered wide open before his entrance and noticed scratches on the door post. It was the first sign of alarm. Running out of the house into the night air. The street was empty. He ran back into the house. His hands scraping his sweaty scalp. A phone rang. He looked about. Pouncing under a cushion to retrieve the phone.
"Hello? Sarah?"
"Such enthusiasm in your voice Mr Cobly," 4ink said. His tone light with a tingle of honey. "It seems like I've got your wife. That's what she is right?" He laughed. "Am right."
"You've got Sarah?"
"Why, yes."
"If you harm her, I'll kill you!" Cobly yelled, feeling terrified by the mention of Sarah. "Let her go. This is between San and I."
4ink chuckled. "If I get paid for everytime someone says that phrase, I would have bought a yacht."
"Let her go. Please," Cobly babbled. "Please."
"In ten minutes be at the Woodshed or she dies."
"Wait. I can't make it in ten minutes. Give me more time."
The phone screen emitted a bright glow. He was speaking to a dead line.
He bursted out. Raging in pure adrenaline and spirit. The main road was also devoid of pedestrians and only a few cars plied through. He waved for some time but none stopped. He thought of running there, that was squelched on sighting a young lady in a strapless dress with summer sandals, moving towards a parked car. The car flashed and beeped as she approached it.
Force or negotiations.
He went towards her, an intent flooding his mind. Rapped his hand in a fist, but as he finally stood before her, he realized something. Recognition. Some days ago, he'd helped her and her friends lift a refrigerator they'd bought at a store. Some rich air-heads they were.
"Hello," he greeted.
She turned around.
"Do you remember me."
Her eyes did an up-and-down, going sideways, before it widened. She smiled meaninglessly. "Yes," she said. "You are the guy from the store.
Cobly nodded. "Please, I need your help."
"What can I do to help?"
"I need your car."
She looked at her car, then back at the desperate man, urging him to continue. There, he began to explain his story as brief and vague as he could.
When he was finished, she was silent for a moment and then said, "Ok."
Just like that. Cobly was surprised but didn't mind.
"But I will be going with you," she gave a condition, banging her car, "my parents will kill me if l lost this little fortune."
"That's fine," Cobly said breathlessly relieved.
She threw the keys at him.They got in the car and a cloud of dusty desperation followed in their wake.